Christmas Help for Low-Income Families in Central Texas

The need to eat is year-round. Central Texas needy families can get help all year but more generous and available help surrounds families in need at Christmas. Central Texas has an abundance of good jobs, with a history of unemployment lower than the national level, but families in need still exist. The best assistance a needy family receives is not a handout, but a handful of ideas for success.

Church Groups Provide Food and Financial Assistance

Churches Touching Lives for Christ food pantry combines efforts of 30 area churches to provide temporary food and other emergency assistance to needy families in Central Texas. The website has a "Services" link for those who need help. Capitol Area Food Bank operates in the Austin area to provide a food pantry to the area. St. Vincent de Paul supports Central Texas families in need with the proceeds from a thrift store. This religious-based organization has been in the Temple, Texas area since 1970, and provides about 2,500 families with assistance each year. Harker Heights Ladies of Charity holds a bazaar each year for funding for needy families in Central Texas. This group provides funding for local agencies.

Service Groups in Central Texas

United Way provides support to partner agencies throughout Central Texas, and also partners with other groups to provide services like teaching financial-literacy courses to assist local families in Central Texas to develop basic budgeting skills. United Way is studying long-term solutions to homeless populations in Central Texas in the Homeless Continuum of Care Initiative. The Salvation Army maintains a local thrift store, and offers bags of groceries to needy families who register and demonstrate need. Social services issues vouchers for needy families and abused women with children to set up housekeeping with items available in the thrift shop. This year-round service is busiest at Christmas, along with Angel Tree available only at Christmas. Angel Tree provides two new toys and a new garment to children under age 12. Operation Blue Santa involves volunteers from the Austin police department, fire department and the Texas National Guard.

State Aid and Direction is Available

One of the best programs available in Central Texas is 2-1-1 Texas that matches services with need, operated by Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Dial 211 and select a language. This program is available all year, and responds with solutions. The state provides Texas Aid to Needy Families, Medicaid and state-operated programs for health care and basic needs. Food stamps, now called SNAP, and the Lone Star Card are more permanent sources of aid than just for Christmas day. Texas Workforce Commission offers retraining and referrals to those who need employment, and those without a high-school diploma are able to pursue a GED at Temple College or area high schools.

Find Help This Christmas

If you need assistance for any of the basics this Christmas for yourself or your family, ask for help. Contact any of the church or service organizations, search online from the public library, dial 211, ask about programs and sources. Help is near if you need it in Central Texas. At the same time, search for a more permanent solution by looking at self-improvement programs, employment sources and state and federal funding for you and your family.

References

• Salvation Army Temple Texas: The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program
• News 8 Austin: Local Charities
• Churches Touching Lives for Christ: What Services Does CTLC Provide?
• Texas Department of State Health Services: Helpful Links
• United Way of Central Texas: Our Work
• KDH News: Event Helps Agencies that Help Low-Income Families

Resources

• 211 Texas: Finding Help in Texas